1894 37 Starting with Gen. 4:16-24 we have a list of the descendants of the man Cain, who "went out from the presence of the Lord," and in the land of Nod "he builded a city." There he and his descendants made themselves comfortable, and cultivated mechanical and fine arts. Meanwhile plunging deeper into sin, until the wrath of God being out-poured, every representative of that guilty family perished by the Flood. Now, turning to 1 Chron. 1:1, we read, "Adam, Sheth, Enosh;" but not one word about Cain and his descendants. The reader might say "Neither is Abel's name there given." Quite so, for he left no son; but how very often in the New Testament is honourable mention made of Abel?
Seth's Descendants.
Gen. 5, in giving us a list of these, presents some very striking facts. For not only are their respective ages given, but the very great ages, to which most of them attained, enabled certain "holy prophets," whose names are here given, to testify to many succeeding generations the wondrous works of God. Before the flood there was delivered an oral testimony. Adam and Methuselah were contemporary for over 240 years. One interpretation of the name given to the latter by his father Enoch is, "At his death the breaking forth of waters." These two things are certain, viz., that Enoch foresaw coming judgments, and that the days of the long life of his son was in itself a manifestation of the longsuffering of God ere that judgment by water was outpoured. For Methuselah died just before the flood. The words, "and he died," repeated so many times in this chapter, furnish us with a striking contrast to the words, "And He shall live" written with reference to David's Son and Lord in Ps. 72:15.
Noah's Descendants.
For a clear and concise explanation of the origin of the many different nations of the earth men search in vain among the ancient records of Nineveh, Babylon, and Egypt. The inspired record given in Gen. 10 stands alone in its very simple, clear, and accurate account of a matter, which, but for the information therein supplied, would to this day have remained an unsolved problem. (That many of these nations will take a prominent position in the ratter day, and be visited with swift judgments, is clear from Ezek. 38) Gen. 10:25 tells us exactly when that division of the earth amongst the nations took place; as Deut. 32:8 explains the purpose the Most High had in view in separating the sons of Adam. One remarkable fact (Gen. 11:10-26) disclosed is the longevity of Shem, who out-lived quite a number of generations of his own descendants; which in its turn discloses God's gracious purpose in his very long life. Eye-witness of the flood, and honoured saint of God (Gen. 9:26), he lived to bear witness to very many of the things which he had himself seen and heard. How the heart of Shem must have grieved when not only the sons of Ham and Japheth, but his own children, declined to gross idolatry (Joshua 24:2)! He was living at the time when God called Abram. The sons of Ishmael(Gen. 25:12-16), and the sons of Esau (Gen. 36) became great, numerous, and opulent, while as yet the chosen seed of Israel were born into adversity and bitter bondage. Both families are briefly mentioned in 1 Chron. 1 but the Spirit of God proceeds no farther in the register. Henceforth their posterity are not written with the righteous.
The Early Chapters of First Chronicles
1894 53 May be attentively read with much profit. The Spirit in 1 Chron. 2 first presents the parentage of David, while in 1 Chron. 3:10-16 the kings of Judah are given down to the captivity.
The line of the high priests from Aaron unto the captivity is given in 1 Chron. 6:3-15, with the exception of Eli and his descendants. These latter were descended from Ithamar (1 Chron. 24:3), but the curse from God rested on the house of Eli (1 Sam. 2:29-34):
"Their priests fell by the sword;
And their widows made no lamentation."
Sheshan married his daughter to his servant Jarha, an Egyptian, and their children were reckoned with Israel (1 Chron. 2:34-41). On the other hand Mered the son of Ezra married Bithiah, the daughter of Pharash (1 Chron. 4:17-18), and had sons. Had Joseph's wise advice been followed (Gen. 46:33-34) as years rolled on, there had not been these mixed marriages. Manasseh and Ephraim do not appear to have ever aspired to become nobles in Egypt. Before Beriah was born, it had gone evil with the house of Ephraim, whose posterity is named down to Joshua, who led Israel on to victory in the Land of Promise (1 Chron. 7:20-27).
The prayer of Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9-10) has made his name famous. Who was Jabez? And from whom descended? No connecting link is given in chap. 4 to show that he was born of Judah; in the midst of whose family register his name suddenly appears. Was that "coast," which the Lord enlarged in answer to his prayer, called after himself? If so, 1 Chron. 2:55 favours the impression that he was of the family of the Kenites, who were the descendants of Hobab, a Cushite, who came with Israel at Moses' express invitation (Num. 10:29), and his children dwelt among the people of Judah (Judges 1:16). A Kenite could not claim a portion in Israel, on the ground that he was of Israel; yet he might call on the God of Israel, and ask to be blessed with Israel.
To 1 Chron. 6:33, 38 we are indebted for clearly establishing the fact that Heman, the central one of the three leading singers of Israel (compare verses 33, 39, 44) was the grandson of the prophet Samuel; and that both were descendants of that very man Korah, who led the great rebellion in the wilderness. The children of Dathan and Abiram went down with their parents alive into the pit. "Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not" (Num. 26:11). These appear to have left their father alone in his wickedness; and of the sons of the very man that disputed the authority of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, came that prophet who spake unto Israel, and said, "It is Jehovah that advanced Moses and Aaron, etc." (1 Sam. 12:6, 8).
Many of the Psalms are expressly dedicated "To the sons of Sarah," of whom, in the days of David, Heman was the leading representative. He had a numerous family (1 Chron. 25:5).
The sons of Moses "the man of God" could not, like their brethren the sons of Aaron, officiate as priests. They were named of the tribe of Levi (1 Chron. 23:14-17). During David's reign, "Shebuel the son of Gershom," Moses' eldest son, was "ruler of the treasures"; while Shelomith, descended from Moses' second son, was, with his brethren, the custodian of "all the treasures of the dedicated things," given expressly for the maintenance of the house of Jehovah (1 Chron. 26:24-28). The honourable position they were privileged to occupy, in David's kingdom, enables us to point to the sons of Moses as a striking example of the fulfilment of that gracious promise, "The children of Thy servants shall continue; their seed shall be established before thee."
Nor were "the sons of the stranger" overlooked at a time when the Lord so bountifully blessed Israel. For the Spirit of God, "when He writeth up the people," graciously includes in the list of David's mighty men, Zelek the Ammonite (1 Chron. 11:39), Uriah the Hittite (verse 41), and Ithmah the Moabite (verse 46). In this connection we would also mention the name of Ittai the Gittite, whose faithfulness to David, when a fugitive (2 Sam. 15:19-23), rebuked an ungrateful nation, and was rewarded by his being made one of the chief commanders of David's army (2 Sam. 18:2). Honourable mention is also made of Oman the Jebusite, who readily offered to give his threshing-floor, oxen, and implements, to his acknowledged sovereign lord the king of Israel (1 Chron. 21:18-28).
3.
1894 75 "And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-parsa, Cherub, Addan and Immer; but they could not show their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred, fifty and two. And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai (which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their own name). These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore were they, as polluted, put from their priesthood. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim" (Ezra 2:59–63; Neh. 7:61-65).
The above quotation conclusively proves how great was the importance to Israelites of carefully preserving their several family registers. Having drawn attention to this particular portion, we need add nothing further with respect to the same: because we rather desire to make a few remarks upon those two remarkable lists which immediately preceded those given above.
Proceeding backwards we read (Ezra 2:55; Neh. 7:57) of
"The Children of Solomon's Servants, etc., etc."
Who these persons were descended from, is made perfectly clear in 1 Kings 9:20-21. Of these brought before our notice as bond-servants in the glorious days of the first kingdom, on Israel's return from captivity, — the children of eleven of these aborigines are honourably mentioned as sharing the fortunes of the nation. Had these eleven, whose names are recorded, specially distinguished themselves by their whole-hearted devotedness each to his particular servile task? But their children should ever be clearly distinguished from
"The Nethinim,"
who at the very same time occupied a very different position. We believe that it is very generally understood that these latter were descendants of those Gibeonites, who obtained a league by craft from Israel, and were by Joshua condemned to perpetual servitude, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God (Joshua 9:22, 23).
But though their first step proved thus faulty, their second step redounded to their own honour, when they, perceiving that peace with the people of God involved conflict with their neighbours on all sides, hesitated not to show that they preferred peace, with the bond-service to Israel, to returning to their old footing with their former acquaintances (Joshua 10:6). And the sun and moon stood still while Israel avenged themselves upon those who gathered themselves together for the purpose of crushing the power of Gibeon.
Because Saul slew the Gibeonites, Israel was visited with three years' famine (2 Sam. 21:1-2). During Saul's reign, where was the ark of God? In obscurity certainly (1 Chron. 13:3), but kept in safety in Kirjath-jearim, one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17). When David reigned, where was the Tabernacle pitched? Even at Gibeon! so that, during those very critical times, to the honour of the Gibeonites it redounds, that one of their cities proved a safe resting place for the Ark, and another held the Tabernacle (2 Chron. 1:3-4), When Ezra would lead up a company of Israelites from Babylon, and found that no Levites were present, he sent to Iddo for "ministers for the house of our God." Certain Levites promptly responded, and with them came 220 Nethinim, "whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites." His company being now considered complete, he started, after fasting and player, to go up to Jerusalem.
With reference to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, the allusion to the Nethinim is couched in language rather obscure. Whether the meaning intended to be conveyed is, that while others rebuilt the wall, the Nethinim renovated the tower of Ophel (situate on the wall, 2 Chron. 27:3) is not quite clear (Neh. 3:26).
One fact, more remarkable in itself than even the very long list of the Nethinim who returned with Zerubbabel, given in both Ezra and Nehemiah, remains to be mentioned. When gathered in solemn assembly, the covenant was sealed by the leaders of the people, the Nethinim (i.e. Amorites on Israel's first entrance into Canaan, Sam. 21:2) entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's law etc., and not to intermarry with the peoples of the land! For though they were actually descendants of the Amorites, they were now most thoroughly incorporated with the nation of Israel. With the faithful in Israel, these men of faith were blessed.
4. The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ
1894 106 Is naturally read with especial interest, and has been made the subject of much comment, with great profit to souls. Upon it we venture a few remarks, which we hope will prove profitable and instructive.
The marvellous grace that brought three Gentile women to share with true-born daughters of Israel in the high distinction of being progenitors of the Messiah has often been noticed.
Viewing all that precedes it in the light of Matt. 1:17, we see that all the generations from Abraham to Christ, are equally divided into three fourteens.
The first fourteen flourished during the patriarchal age; "the patriarch David" (Acts 2:29), completing the list. They were for the most part "men of renown" and "elders," who received a good report through faith, whom the Lord greatly honoured, each in his own generation, by taking them up, and using them as instruments in His hands, of shaping the destinies of the nation that grew so very rapidly, and was so highly favoured of Jehovah.
For the moment passing over the list of kings, we would say of the third fourteen, that, with the exception of Zerubbabel, they appear to have been what we now understand by the term "nobodies" in the nation. Joseph, the husband of Mary, was, as we all know, a working carpenter. Yet, though of no reputation in the nation, we are persuaded that Mal. 3:16-17 accurately describes these who lived in a day of small things, and yet cast not away their confidence in the Lord God of Israel.
One remarkable feature in the second fourteen is the omission of three generations of kings in ver. 8, and of one in ver. 11. In ver. 8 we read, "And Joram begat Uzziah;" whereas in point of fact, Joram begat Ahaziah, whose son Joram, and grandson Amaziah, each wielded in turn the sceptre of Judah. The insertion of Ahaz, Manasseh and Amon, each one infamous for very great wickedness, appears to preclude the thought that they were omitted for such a reason from the list. Why are they excluded? Ah! here we have a striking example of the practical carrying out of the principle, so clearly expressed in the second commandment, viz. "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers, upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me." The names of Ahab and Jezebel are painfully familiar to us all; and in marrying his son Jehoram to Athaliah their daughter, Jehoshaphat, though a good man personally, brought down upon his own descendants, to the third generation, the curse that rested upon the house of Ahab. For three generations we read of wholesale massacres in cold blood. Jehoram slew all his own brethren on his accession (2 Chron. 21:4); the Philistines and Arabians slew all his sons (2 Chron. 22:1); and Athaliah, on the death of her son Ahaziah, slew all the seed royal of the house of Judah save Joash (2 Chron. 22:10-11). The names of the son, grandson, and great-grandson of "Athaliah, that wicked woman," herself inheriting the fierce and idolatrous spirit of her mother Jezebel, are excluded from mention in "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ." Those who esteem it to be a light thing to become unequally yoked with unbelievers, should attentively consider the sad history of the house of Jehoshaphat unto the fourth generation; and such may readily perceive, that, by means of his having married his son to Athaliah, Satan all but accomplished the extermination of the royal house of David. The fact, made evident by the list given in Luke 3:23-38, of a reserve line from David, carefully preserved, does not in the least lessen the honour that rightly attaches to the name of Jehoshabeath the wife of Jehoiada, because her faithful preservation of the infant Joash prevented such a calamity from falling upon the nation (2 Chron. 22:10-12).
We simply need to refer to Jeremiah 22:13-19, as furnishing ample reasons why the name of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, and father of Jeconiah, is excluded from mention in Matt. 1:11. "Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."
5.
1894 119 When we review "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ" with Heb. 1:1, as our standpoint, the list given of the kings becomes very deeply interesting.
By the Lord's express command, Joshua, the successor of Moses in the leadership of the people was to stand before Eleazar the priest, who should enquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord (Num. 27:21). This did Israel on one occasion, in the days of Phinehas (Judges 20:28), but when Abiathar fled to David to Keilah, the ark rested in obscurity in Kirjath-jearim, and of all the priestly vestments he brought with him simply an ephod in his hand. And when in perplexity David bade Abiathar bring hither the ephod; and David enquired of the Lord, who answered him in condescending grace (1 Sam. 23:6-12).
As all know, David was no sooner established in the kingdom, than he set about bringing up the ark to Zion: Solomon built the temple, that house of rest for the ark of God. At the dedication of the temple, first appeared the overshadowing cloud; "Then spake Solomon, the LORD hath said that He would dwell in thick darkness." Would He who dwelt between the Cherubim indeed shine forth? When Solomon had made an end of praying, all the children of Israel saw the fire descend from heaven, and the glory of the LORD filled the house; seeing which they bowed and worshipped with thanksgivings.
So far as we have ourselves gleaned, scripture gives not the slightest intimation for how long or how short a period that glory-light, which had been at once the defence and the sure guide to their fathers in the wilderness, was openly discerned upon the house. While God shined out of it, Zion was the perfection of beauty.
In the reign of Rehoboam, Shishak spoiled the temple. During the reign of Abijah the form of godliness was maintained (2 Chron. 13:10-12), yet the king's heart was not perfect with the Lord his God (1 Kings 15:3), and idolatry was practised (vers. 12, 13), which in its most glaring forms Asa removed. This last king began his reign well, and by his offerings enriched the temple; and his faith was rewarded in the overthrow of Zerah and his 1,000,000 warriors (2 Chron. 14:9-12). But the closing years of his reign saw his own spoliation of the temple, in order to bribe Benhadad into an alliance with himself against Baasha.
The one remarkable event which we wish to draw special attention to in the reign of Jehoshaphat is that related in full details in 2 Chron. 20. Moved by his fear of the confederated forces of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, he proclaimed a fast; and all Judah stood before the LORD in the temple, while the king prayed. The answer was instantly given, in the hearing of all the people by Jahaziel.
To Jehoram's alliance with the house of Ahab and its disastrous consequences, we have already referred. Passing over the three kings whose names are omitted in ver. 8, as we have seen, we come to Uzziah; who, like Asa, started well, and ended badly. The one event of his reign we refer to is his presuming to enter the sanctuary to burn incense upon the altar of incense, in the face of the earnest protest of Azariah and those eighty priests who were likeminded with him; and his being smitten with leprosy as he stood beside the altar, and thrust out of the sanctuary (2 Chron. 26). Was the sanctuary defiled by this fearful visitation?
In the year that king Uzziah died, the prophet Isaiah saw such a vision of glory that his description of it favours the thought that it far transcended the glory as openly discerned by Israel on the day of the dedication of the temple. Because he saw the Lord, high and exalted, His being the transcendent glory (John 12:41), the skirts thereof filled the temple. Though Israel's kings had failed, and sinned grievously, the cry of the Seraphim bore witness to the fact that the throne of God is established in holiness. The prophet and Israel were of unclean lips, yet was the prophet's iniquity taken away, and "he spake of Him" Whose glory he had been privileged to behold. Jotham reigned well, and built the high gate of the house of Jehovah. Had it been like king like people, Judah had prospered during his reign; but of them we read, "and the people did yet corruptly" (2 Chron. 27:2).
Ahaz was so infamous for his very great wickedness that the Spirit of God has characterised his very name thus, "This is that king Ahaz," or "This same king Ahaz." He "wearied men"; he spoiled, and shut up the temple. Oh the tender mercies of our God! In those distressing days He appointed for His people a sanctuary, even Himself! (Isa. 8:14). In the reigns of other wicked kings honourable mention is made of faithful priests; one thing that characterises the wicked reign of Ahaz is, that here we have a scarcely less wicked priest in Urijah, who lends himself to become the ready tool of his sacrilegious sovereign in building an idolatrous altar (2 Kings 16:10-11).
Hezekiah "trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. And the LORD was with him. If we looked only upon the surface, we might have considered that the piety of Hezekiah would have been rewarded in the exaltation of the nation over which he reigned. That his reign was very greatly beneficial to his subjects we freely admit. When however we draw a comparison between the days of Jehoshaphat and those of Hezekiah, we are struck by certain sure signs that, notwithstanding the latter's godliness, the nation has declined to a much lower footing before the Lord.
On the Assyrian coming upon the scene Hezekiah proclaims no fast, as did Jehoshaphat; instead of the nation standing before the Lord, its godly king enters the sanctuary to make his own earnest prayer as an individual. In a day of national adversity we read of two individuals simply, as praying, and crying to heaven (2 Chron. 32:20). Hezekiah indeed spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord, but instead of an instant answer, the reply is sent by Isaiah to him (2 Kings 19:20). Then the army of Judah is in no way associated with the overthrow of the Assyrians; and instead of gathering spoil, poor Hezekiah had already endured the mortification of humbling himself before his enemy (2 Kings 18:14), and what must have grieved him not less, of the sanctuary despoiled of silver and gold, in a vain attempt to satisfy the greed of his powerful adversary (vers. 15, 16).
All this tells its own sad tale. The prophet Isaiah draws aside the curtain, and shows that hypocrisy existed, and that deeds of darkness were done, behind that form of godliness outwardly retained by the nation (Isa. 29:13-15).
Had Hezekiah been content to set his house in order and die, the nation had been spared much suffering. During those added fifteen years was born Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1); the heart of Hezekiah became lifted up, to his own and to the nation's hurt (2 Chron. 32:25-26); and those hidden workings of evil appeared to have gathered great strength. It may be observed, as Isaiah proceeds with his prophecies, he becomes by the Spirit more and more vehement in his denunciations of Israel's transgression (Isa. 58:1-7; Isa. 59:2-8). All the more positively awful is the state of things disclosed by Isa. 28:14-15, when we consider its existence in the very face of that prophet's sublime testimony concerning the glories and honours that all find their centre in the Person of the coming Messiah!
Very significant indeed is Isaiah's lamentation, doubtless with the death of Hezekiah before his mind (Isa. 57:1-2), and in full view of that wickedness which he saw was gathering strength continually (vers. 3, 4).
It is made very clear by Heb. 11:39-40, that the three verses immediately preceding this reference directly refer to a period of fearful persecution that raged before Christ came. It would be very remarkable indeed if scripture furnished us with no clue as to the precise period at which it slew its thousands of faithful men and women.
It will help us much to apprehend the real state of affairs during the reign of Manasseh, if we bear in mind what has been written above concerning the workings of evil in Israel, disclosed by Isaiah, and observe at the same time that for three previous generations of kings the Spirit of God had raised up and maintained a very powerful prophetic testimony, in the mouths of the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, Micah.
Now coming directly to Manasseh's reign, we find events recorded which give us a most complete picture or foreshadowing of a still more awful period, in which the man of sin will for a time practise and prosper. For here we have a wicked ruler, despising all reproofs, and compelling his subjects to do iniquity. He places an abomination in the house of God. He persecutes to the death those who will die, rather than do evil. Jehovah's "watchmen," His prophets, hold not their peace day nor night; and the abundant fruit of their powerful testimony is proved by the immense numbers who die the death of martyrs (2 Kings 21:16). While Jehovah's saints are hunted to the death within Jerusalem, the merciless Assyrian comes against the city from without, so that they are placed as between two fires. At such a moment it became faithful priests, who could not enter within the sanctuary, because of the abomination set up therein by Manasseh, to "weep between the porch and the altar," and say, "Spare Thy people, O Jehovah, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"
6.
1894 135 It has been often and truly said that coming events cast their shadows before themselves. Those very carefully tabulated and preserved family records retained their importance until the descent of the Messiah from Abraham (Matt. 1), and the full list of all the progenitors of the Son of Man in a direct line up to Adam (Luke 3), could each be duly registered. Even before, for our instruction, the Spirit employed the pen of Matthew to write the first, and that of Luke to transcribe the second. Connected with John the Baptist and his powerful ministry, we have a very marked foreshadowing of the fact that the old order was on the point of passing away, to be succeeded by that which was new and infinitely better.
John's father had occupied a position of some distinction in his service as a priest of the course of Abijah. His mother was of the daughters of Aaron. So that in this "man sent from God," we have one qualified by birth and physical perfection to officiate as a priest, who neither dressed in priestly attire, nor performed priestly service in the temple, nor ate of the holy things in the holy place.
Crowds "went out to see" a man who was neither shaken by adverse circumstances, nor drawn aside by indulgence in luxuries, from the due performance of his great mission.
"Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptised of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Thus did he shatter at one blow all their preconceived notions as to the spiritual advantages of birth and parentage, upon which they had grown so accustomed to pride themselves.
The forerunner having levelled all such distinctions, it remained for Him Who came after him to draw the attention of "the seventy" to one infinitely higher, and subject to no such levelling process, by saying to them on their return, after having fulfilled their mission, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."
To those who had been taught from their earliest infancy to consider it one of the direst of calamities for an Israelite to be cut off without posterity, how very comforting these words of our Lord Himself must have proved, when fierce persecutions raged! For James was slain by the sword, and Stephen stoned to death, and many otherwise suffered martyrdom.
That register, kept on high, of all those called with an heavenly calling, rendered it to such a matter of no importance to trouble further about preserving earthly family registers. In the Gospels we frequently find the father's name given, as in the case of Peter; but after Pentecost, even this was dropped. The surname Barnabas, given to Joses (Acts 4:36), was an evident departure from the rule almost invariably adopted in the case of Old Testament saints. As for Paul, he himself mentions quite incidentally that he was of the tribe of Benjamin; but we are no where told the name of his father. More than this, Paul by the Spirit, warned his beloved sons in the faith (1 Tim. 1:4; Titus 3:9) against giving heed to "endless genealogies." For though a believer in Christ were in a position to prove his descent from David, or Aaron, this gave him no right to claim higher position in the church than that occupied by another member of the body, who happened to be descended from Ammon or Moab, or even the cursed Canaan. In the assembly therefore no distinctions of this character were to be observed, since all were one in Christ.
Our citizenship is in heaven; and none shall have the privilege of entering within the gates of the holy city, new Jerusalem, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life"; that heavenly register of saints, called with an holy calling, which is not subjected to periodical cancellations, as are those oftentimes faulty burgess-rolls of earthly citizens.
Yet there is another family record, as brief and concise in its wording, as it is full of pathos, while most exquisitely tender in the manner in which it clearly expresses the Lord's unwearied and unweakened personal affection for His earthly people. "I am the root and offspring of David" — saith He Who now sits exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Surely this redounds to the praise of the glory of His grace; that, while occupying His present exalted position, He forgets not, nor is ashamed to acknowledge, those ties of relationship as existing between Himself, the Perfect Man, and the children of Israel; even though the natural branches of the olive tree have been long since broken off, and that nation has for many centuries past been experiencing the bitter consequences of the carrying out of the solemn prophetic sentence: — "Not-My-people."
They acknowledge Him not; still is He to Israel (who will yet mourn for Him, as a man mourneth for his only son) the pledge of the fulfilment of every promise made before unto the fathers by the prophets. Rich and abundant blessing is in store for Israel. "Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness!"
This brings us to the consideration of those family records, which once again in the future, as in the past, will have an importance which they do not now possess. "The lost ten tribes" has become a proverbial expression; no man living knows who they are or where definitely to be found.
But when the right moment for it arrives, the Lord God of Israel will call their representatives by their distinctive names; and we doubt not grace will enable each individual of those 144,000 sealed Israelites (Rev. 7:4-8) to attest the fact that he is actually descended from that particular son of Israel whose name he bears.
We have adequate scriptural authority for proceeding into minuter details, as we point out that the house of David will be known as such, and that the house of Nathan will be as clearly distinguished from the former, as each will be distinct from the house of Levi and of Shimei (Zech. 12:11-14).
One particular family of the sons of Aaron is expressly named as that which in the future shall have the exclusive privilege of coming near to minister unto the Lord. Every other representative of the priestly family must then of necessity take a subordinate place to that occupied by the sons of Zadok alone (1 Sam. 2:35-36). So far as we have ourselves gathered, we will endeavour to show under what circumstances they won for themselves this high distinction.
In a former paper was pointed out the great contrast in matters of detail between 1 Chron. 20 and 32. We would now add that 2 Chron. 34 presents as great a contrast to both as those two chapters do to each other.
But first observe that the untimely death of the wicked king Amon was an event fraught with blessing to Judah; for the throne thus suddenly rendered vacant was now occupied by a child, whose name had been announced at Bethel, several hundred years before, by the man of God that spake against the altar of Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:2). The blessed results of the piety of Josiah early became apparent. Yet he that attentively reads the long catalogue of the abominations which he destroyed and abolished (2 Kings 23:4-20), and also observes that it took him six years to purge the land and the house, cannot fail to form at least some faint idea of the awful magnitude of Judah's idolatry during the respective reigns of that king's two immediate predecessors (Jer. 2:28).
Hilkiah the priest having found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah, its contents were read before Josiah; and this brought that pious king deep exercise of soul: he rent his clothes and wept, for he clearly saw that the wrath of God had been aroused against His guilty people. Yet he did not, like Jehoshaphat, proclaim a fast; neither did he, like Hezekiah, enter into the temple, and there personally appeal to the God that dwelleth between the Cherubim. He sent the high priest and others to Huldah, that they might enquire of Jehovah for him. This may appear strange; but still more strange is the king's command to the Levites, recorded in the next chapter, to "put the holy ark in the house." For such a command implies that it was at that moment outside of the house! Had those who wickedly set up an idol in that house, also removed it from its resting place with sacrilegious hands? Or had certain faithful priests, desirous of preserving it from sacrilege in those terrible days reverently borne it away to some place of safety (as those Levites intended to have done when Absalom threatened the peace of Jerusalem. 2 Sam. 15:24-25)? To me it seems that this latter supposition is correct, and that Ezek. 44:15-16; Ezek. 48:11, refer to this pious action on the part of faithful sons of Zadok.